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Father’s Day is just around the corner (eek!) and with that comes one of the biggest gift-giving dilemmas of the year! What do you buy the man that means so much to show your love and appreciation?

Father’s Day Gift – Pevonia Australia’s Spa Care for HIM

Men are, as we all know notoriously difficult to buy for, especially those that appear to have it all! (My Father-in-law!) So ditch the tie, wallet and golf clubs and opt for a gift he’s guaranteed to love but unlikely to ever buy himself!

Grooming products may not be top of his list but there is no denying that men secretly love a bit of pampering, just like us ladies and when a man finds a product he loves, he’s likely to stick with it.

Cue the Pevonia Spa Care for HIM range, a range of five anti-aging shaving and hydrating products specifically developed for men’s skin. Precisely formulated, the range is effective in desensitising the skin, soothing irritability, preventing in grown hairs, smoothing wrinkles and rehydrating the skin…All in sleek, masculine packaging, what more can you ask for!

And if he’s as hard working as my Dad, he might even enjoy a little ‘time-out’ and indulge in a pampering in-spa treatment! Pevonia offer a multitude of face and body treatments from grooming to all out pure indulgence so why not also buy your dad a voucher and let him kick back and truly relax. Simply head to our search-a-spa for your nearest Pevonia spa.

With so many anti-ageing skin care products on the market, choosing what will be right for you can be baffling. However when it comes to reducing the visible signs of ageing, the “super-ingredient” that everyone seems to agree on to deliver its promise is retinol. But what exactly is it and how does it work?

What is retinol?

Retinol and retinoic acid are both forms of vitamin A used in skincare products. The stronger of the two, retinoic acid, is only available via prescription while retinol can be sold over the counter.

What does it do?

It is a cell communicator that can help damaged skin cells return to their normal function. When skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun it absorbs free radicals, which attack healthy cells. Retinol interrupts this process by attaching itself to damaged cells and communicating with them, helping them to act like healthy cells again.

It also helps your skin slough dead cells and create new ones, which in turn creates new collagen. Over time, this can lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Finally, because retinol helps to slough away dead skin cells and reveal new growth underneath, continuous use can help to reduce the symptoms of hyperpigmentation by peeling away the top layers of skin and slowing the production of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour

Who is it suitable for?

While the cosmetic and medical industries are almost united in their love for retinol, some with sensitive skin will go through an inevitable adjustment period, up to six weeks of red, flaky skin. Still, sensitive skin can be trained to tolerate vitamin A derivatives, so really, the only women who shouldn’t use retinol are those who are pregnant or nursing.

So what about the adjustment period? There will be some dryness, maybe flakiness and sometimes the skin may feel sensitive. Why? Upon application, the retinol binds to DNA, and immediately instructs the skin’s proteins and enzymes to do certain things, firstly to expel the piled-up dead cells from your skin’s surface. Refining that top layer causes some water loss initially, which can make sensitive skin seem drier and more irritable. But push through and it will become less sensitive over time and leave you with a fantastic glow and reduced fine lines.

If however, you have underlying skin conditions like eczema or rosacea, using a high strength retinol product could enhance the inflammation.

The Micro-Retinol® Line utilizes a specialized technology to create micro-particles of retinol that get delivered deep into the epidermis. This means complete product absorption, no skin irritation and immediate results.

Every product in the Micro-Retinol® Line contains a powerhouse trio of vitamin C, vitamin E, and Micro-Retinol®! The addition of vitamins C and E not only ensures Micro-Retinol®’s stability, but also that the skin’s nutrients and density are renewed and preserved.

Something to keep in mind – retinol can make skin more sensitive to UV exposure so it’s best to use at night and if using in the daytime always follow with an SPF 30 or higher.

Who doesn’t feel better after a good night’s sleep?

It makes a huge difference to our overall wellbeing but our “beauty sleep” is also very important for our skin and the key to a glowing complexion! Sleep is known to dramatically reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) which in itself is a great reason to hit the bed and ensure we get enough rest. But what exactly happens to our skin at night while we are in blissful slumber?

Sleep prevents breakouts and allergic reactions. It aids your body in fighting existing skin conditions. When you are sleep deprived, increased inflammatory response shows up as acne breakouts, increased sensitivity, and dermatitis reactions. The more you sleep, your chances of warding off skin conditions are higher.

To wake up to calmer skin, we recommend:RS2 Concentrate. Like “ice” to reduce redness and inflammation. It soothes and calms while strengthening fragile skin.

Sleep makes your skin look younger. With enough sleep, your body is able to produce more collagen and hyaluronic acid – the molecules that give the skin its youthful glow and elasticity. If you want to look younger, always make sure you get sufficient rest. It’s the exact reason why we look fresh after 8 hours of sleep!

To wake up to plumper, firmer skin, we recommend: Stem Cells Intensive Serum. The ultimate cell rejuvenator. Densifies the epidermis to soften lines and “elasticize” the skin.

Sleep prevents puffy and dark undereyes. The body’s hydration rebalances while we sleep. Our skin is moisturised while excess water is processed for removal. When the body is sleeping, it produces antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and Aldosterone, the hormones that give us the ability to hold our urine while sleeping. With the help of ADH and aldosterone, the body is able to properly regulate water in our body. Consequently, sleep deprivation results in poor water balance, leading to puffy and dark undereyes, as well as dryness and wrinkles.

Uninterrupted sleep helps repair damaged cells. While you sleep, your growth hormones repair your damaged cells, transforming your skin’s texture to soft, finer complexion. This can only be achieved in deeper phases of sleep which means short, shallow sleep does not help in the natural restoration and healing process. Without sleep, cell degeneration and aging process accelerates.

To wake up to finer, softer skin, we recommend:Micro-Retinol Essential Serum. It evens both skin’s texture and tone to give skin a more youthful appearance and fabulous glow.

Sleep helps us manage our weight, which is also great for our skin. When we sleep, we feel less hungry. Why? Our body produces Leptin, the hormone that inhibits hunger. Having regular sleep enables the body to effectively manage weight, preventing stretch marks and uneven skin tone. So the next time you need to decide whether to gobble or to snooze, if you want to manage your weight, pick the latter.

To wake up to lighter, brighter skin, we recommend:Lumablanc Cream. It progressively lightens dark patches and exfoliates skin, reducing appearance of dark spots.

Make sure your skin gets the most out of your night time rest. Get enough sleep by establishing a bedtime schedule. Add active formulas at night, when your cells will benefit the most, to help win back your youthful glow. Consider it a treat to yourself! Youthful, glowing skin will follow.

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Don’t forget the #1 rule: Always cleanse and moisturise your face at night. This July, Receive a FREE Full Size Cleanser with every purchase of DRY, SENSITIVE or COMBINATION CARE CREAMS.

To save all the confusion and prevent you spending hours trolling the internet for answers, we asked skincare expert and Pevonia Australia’s Director of Education, Liane Scior for the low down on her top 10 skincare ingredients (let’s face it without a little help, figuring out which “youth-enhancing” products to buy is enough to give us wrinkles!)

“There are so many skincare products to choose from nowadays, all promising an array of solutions for our skin but without understanding the key ingredients and how they’ll benefit our individual needs, purchasing products can be a minefield,” said Scior.

“It’s important to firstly work out what you really want from your skincare, for example whether it be luminosity, lesser wrinkles, smaller pores, a clear complexion….then read the benefits of these ingredients and understand if they are for you. Understanding ingredients will not only help you find the right skincare choices, it’ll also save time, money and potentially unwanted breakouts, reactions or simply just a lack of results”.

AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)

Derived from plant and fruit sugars (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids) AHA’s break down the glue that holds dead skin cells together allowing for fresh, new skin to come through. The gentle acids exfoliate skin, while offering a multitude of other benefits such an evening out skin tone, helping to fade pigmentation and age spots, hydrating the skin and providing an overall brighter complexion.

AHA based skincare products are great for those who have a preference for a gentler exfoliation as they are free from beads and grains found in other exfoliators. Also good for those with dull, ageing and sun damaged skin.

Collagen

Collagen is technically a protein. It actually occurs naturally in our bodies giving our skin strength and elasticity and working to replace dead skin cells. However as we age, our natural Collagen levels begin to decline which is why we need a little help by applying it topically through skincare.

Collagen is re-absorbable, which means it can be broken down, reabsorbed into the skin and used to boost your skin’s natural Collagen production processes, leaving you with a plump, refreshed complexion the natural way.

Collagen based skincare products are perfect for those looking to counteract the first signs of aging.

Retinol

Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A. It has been proven to boost collagen and elastin production, and energise and speed cell turnover making them function like the cells of a child! Using a well-formulated and stable product with retinol will also visibly reduce the appearance of sun damage, brown spots, lines, wrinkles and large pores.

Retinol based products are perfect for those with sun damaged, dull and discoloured complexion. Also good for those suffering from blemished skin as it can reduce pore size and acne or simply aging skin.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance in skin, a component of the body’s connective tissues.

As we age, the environment and lifestyle choices destroy hyaluronic acid in our skin, in turn our skin loses the ability to preserve moisture, resulting in the visible loss of firmness and plumpness. Hyaluronic acid when applied topically through skincare has the ability to replenish moisture (that is crucial to having younger-looking, supple skin) as well as revitalise the skin’s outer layers, so they look and feel plumper, smoother and softer. Hyaluronic based products are also known to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

(Plant) Stem Cells

Plant stem cells are undifferentiated cells taken from the stem of a plant. Like human stem cells, they have the ability to self-renew and when applied topically to the skin, help protect the human skin stem cells from damage and deterioration as well as stimulate better cell turnover, leading to more youthful skin cells at the surface of the skin.

Products that contain plant stem cells can help keep skin looking young by fighting off wrinkles, protecting against sun damage and reducing inflammation.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant which helps boost collagen production while treating photo-damage. Not only does it penetrate the skin to fight free radical damage caused by the environment it also helps fade pigmentation and repair tired, lacklustre skin visibly boosting skin brightness and luminosity.

Vitamin C based products are perfect for those with dull, devitalised, pigmented and aging skin.

Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria that normally reside in our bodies and in our skin. Due to sickness, toxicity, the use of antibiotics, and other external factors, our good bacteria diminishes.

Topical probiotics help deliver a dose of good bacteria directly to our skin, restoring radiance and balance. Some topical probiotics are recommended for mature skin because of their ability to regenerate as well as protect the skin by retaining moisture, healing wounds, and increasing collagen and elastin production for anti-aging effects. They are also an effective anti-inflammatory which means they bring calm to the skin soothing redness and irritation.

Products formulated with probiotics are great for anyone wanting to restore balance and radiance to the skin. Also perfect for those wanting to counteract large pores, uneven texture, oil excess, aging and dehydration.

Elastin

Elastin is a highly elastic protein in connective tissue that gives skin its flexibility. It is a crucial factor in ensuring we maintain a youthful appearance. Also when applied topically it helps skin retain moisture.

Our bodies start to produce less and less of the protein as we get older. As skin loses elasticity it starts to show signs of aging – sagging and wrinkling.

Products formulated with elastin are great for those with skin sagging and loss of elasticity. They deliver repairing and tightening benefits, visibly firming the skin.